The 7 Personal Finance Articles We Loved This Week

June 7, 2018

One of my favorite genres of personal finance writing is “is thing worth the money?” Here on TFD, we’ve rounded up the real cost of many things, from an IUD to laser hair removal to TSA pre-check. And personally, I’m always in the camp of “if it’s worth it to you (and you can afford it), it’s worth spending money on.” There are plenty of people out there who will shame others about their spending choices, but I think, at the end of the day, whatever you spend on is completely up to you.

I loved that ESI included this piece on Lasik surgery this week. It’s certainly not something everyone would need to consider, but for those of us who might, it’s very useful to read others’ testimonials as well as a breakdown of what it really entails. Be sure to check out the full post for the cost breakdown, but if it is something you’re considering, I’m loving these benefits:

Falling asleep on the couch. No need to worry about taking off my contacts. Now I can fall asleep wherever and whenever I want! Well, maybe not ANYwhere, or ANYtime…

No more worries when playing sports! Yes, I have had contacts fall out on the basketball court and soccer field. It’s annoying. No more!

Improved allergy symptoms in the spring. Some years I have terrible allergies. My nose runs, I sneeze randomly, and my eyes itch and tear up. Sometimes I can’t wear contacts because my eyes are too irritated. Now, I won’t need to worry about switching to glasses!

“I’ve often left funerals feeling inspired to make changes in my life to be more present, invest in relationships, and help others. Each of the three funerals that I’ve attended recently had a common theme to ‘live life to the fullest.’ This can be a strong message when you (me) may not being doing so. Life is short, and sometimes it takes a swift kick to the gut to get us to realize this truth.”

“If you look online at many Lasik center websites, they will tell you about the thousands of dollars you will save by getting Lasik. Imagine all the money you won’t need to spend on contacts and glasses! Here’s the catch: they aren’t doing the math fairly.”

“She tells herself that the state-run facility is adequate. That her mother is so demented that she will never know the difference. That the money might as well be used by people who will have their wits about them enough to enjoy it.”

“My biggest takeaway from thinking about the relationship between time and money is this: When you spend less, you can work less. In a very real way, frugality buys time. But on a deeper level, frugality buys freedom — financial freedom, freedom from worry, freedom to spend your time however you choose.”